Public Statements

Dr. David Gill Honors Middle-Class Families on Labor Day

Statement

As Central Illinois' working families celebrate Labor Day, Democratic congressional candidate Dr. David Gill is honored to accept the endorsements of unions that work tirelessly to protect wage earners. Gill is campaigning at Labor Day parades, picnics and barbecues across his district.

"I am delighted to have the support of thousands of Illinois' working families and the unions who represent them, " said Dr. David Gill. "My dad died of cancer when I was thirteen years old and I started working as a dishwasher. I stocked shelves to work my way through college at U of I and mopped floors in the middle of the night to pay my way through medical school."

"My grandmother was a waitress for 60 years," David Gill commented. "My mother worked two and three jobs at a time to keep us going. I know what back-breaking labor is and I know how important the work that is done by unions to protect the safety and welfare of middle-class families is to our nation."

"Labor Day matters because of the fireman who works 72 hour shifts protecting us and because of the farm worker bending over day after day picking our food. It matters because of the mine worker who spends hour after hour in the most dangerous part of the earth. And because of the teacher who leads an overcrowded classroom all day and grades papers all night."

"Those Americans and millions like them, deserve better," Gill continued. "They deserve more than just a day off. They deserve to have their hard work and sacrifice honored with a living wage and quality health care. They deserve an end to politicians raiding their pension funds and trying to gamble with their Social Security."

"They deserve the protection of the collective bargaining rights that created our middle class and built the greatest country on earth. And they deserve overhauled trade agreements that will protect American jobs and American workers."

Among labor and trade unions supporting Gill are: Service Employees International Union (SEIU), National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), International Association of Heat & Frost Insulators, American Federation of Teachers (AFT), International Longshoremen Association (ILA), United Steel Workers (USW), Illinois AFL-CIO, National Nurses United (NNU), United Auto Workers (UAW), United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters (UA), International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), United Brotherhood of Carpenters (UBC), United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW), United Transportation Union (UTU).

"Today, I reaffirm my pledge to the working families of Illinois," Gill concluded. "I don't take a penny from Wall Street banks or corporate special interests. My only priority is the people of the 13th district. I'll fight to make sure millionaires and billionaires finally pay their fair share and to end tax breaks for companies that ship American jobs overseas. It's time to speak up again for the men and women that built this country."